Love Happens
by Elliot.Olivia.Forever
Summary: Olivia and Elliot finally realize how they feel about each other. Chapter 4 now up! Reviews, good and bad, greatly appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS THAT ARE PORTRAYED IN THIS STORY...DICK WOLF DOES. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

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_Love Happens_

**Chapter 1**

Olivia sighed as she awoke to what seemed like an unnecessarily peppy pop song. But lately, everything sounded like that. A loud, obnoxious noise, that couldn't be shut off. Everything, that is, except his voice. She found it amazing how one person had the ability to fill her stomach with butterflies, with just one word. It was as if he could turn her thoughts to soft serve with one gaze into her chocolate brown eyes. Olivia unconsciously kicked herself for letting her thoughts wander into places where they definitely shouldn't be lingering near. After all, he was an immensely unavailable man.

Olivia hastily jumped when she suddenly heard deafening knocking at her door. She then retreated to pulling the paper-thin blanket over her head and flopping onto her stomach. When she heard a key in the door turning briskly, she immediately knew whom it was. A very jumpy sounding man soon interrupted the 'clicking' sound. It wasn't hard to believe that she knew his mood by the way he walked into the room. It has, after all, been something like eleven years now, since they had first met.

"Olivia!"

She heard footsteps in her kitchen.

Olivia swiftly pulled on her sweatpants and lazily wandered out her bedroom door. She was greeted by a man whom she knew all too well, with a face marked with lines of worry. They stood face-to-face for what felt like hours.

"Olivia."

It was more of a statement than a question.

"Elliot."

"You weren't at work."

"Obviously, El."

He smiled at the sound of the sarcastic note in her tone. She followed suite as her lips gradually slipped into a grin.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a more serious manner.

"I'm fine, El. Seriously." Olivia mumbled as she casually swayed by the man in front of her.

"Liv, how many years has it been now? There's no need to perform the whole "I'm fine" routine with me. C'mon. What's going on?" he questioned her.

Olivia suddenly found herself immensely interested in the contents of her refrigerator despite the fact that it only consisted of a carton of milk, some Chinese take-out boxes, and a loaf of bread.

She silently contemplated on how to respond. She knew the answer. Olivia knew all to well what was "going on." She kept trying to tell herself that as long as she didn't say it out loud, than it wouldn't be true. It was completely and utterly childish, she knew. But somehow, she couldn't seem to bare the thought of anyone finding out the authenticity of how she truly felt. She could hardly handle it herself.

When Olivia decisively turned around, Elliot was instantaneously in her face. She recognized that all he wanted was the truth. Despite their partnership, this was a confidential matter that she certainly did not wish to share with anyone. Especially the one person it actually concerned.

"I called the Captain. He didn't tell you?"

"No, he didn't mention anything. Should he have?"

"Well, I've decided to use some of the sick days I've saved up over the past few years. I just need to think about some things. And before you ask, no, it's nothing serious."

A sudden look of shock and anguish washed over his strong, masculine features.

"Olivia. Think about this. Please. When you left… Oregon… and _Porter_. I just-"

"I know, Elliot. I know. I swear to you, this is nothing like that. I honestly just need some time to reflect."

She offered a petite smile in hopes of smoothing over the situation.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS THAT ARE PORTRAYED IN THIS STORY...DICK WOLF DOES. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

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_Love Happens_

**Chapter 2**

It had been two days since Elliot had last seen Olivia. He was starting to worry about her. Although he wouldn't dare tell anyone, Elliot missed her like hell. He had been racking his brain in search of any possible reason for her abrupt departure. Elliot anticipated it had something to do with himself. Despite the fact that he couldn't seem to remember doing anything wrong, he quite visibly remembered being in an exact replica of his current situation so many years back. Elliot cringed as he thought back to the memory. He and Olivia were sitting on the steps outside his apartment after a tough case. Elliot suddenly realized that he could recite the entire heart-wrenching conversation from beginning to end. He wasn't exactly sure if this was a good or a bad thing. Probably the latter, he thought.

Elliot was a strong man, physically and mentally. He had always been a professional when it came to differentiating right from wrong. Nonetheless, he had forever struggled to keep himself in control of his emotions. This was something that Elliot thought would never change.

He flinched faintly when a screeching reverberation interrupted his thoughts.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

The mere absence of his name in the statement directed solely toward him had Elliot thinking.

Regardless, he dismissed the notion and smiled genuinely toward his partner.

"Eleven years and I can't even get a decent chair with wheels."

She spoke with a certain grace in her voice that he couldn't quite place. Although Elliot was glad that she was back, he couldn't seem to shake the worried feeling that brought him down under like a salt flavored ocean tide.

"Olivia, you're back?" He said the words in a somewhat questionable tone.

"Yeah, I am. Is something wrong?"

Concern washed over her features at an alarming rate.

"No, everything's fine. I just…I thought you would be gone longer; that's all."

"I told you; I just needed some time to think. Remember?"

"So, no life-altering decisions you want to fill me in on?" He asked, slipping back into his typical cocky attitude in a matter of seconds.

"Nope." She replied, smiling toward her paperwork.

Elliot couldn't muster the strength to look away from Olivia. She was absolutely stunning. She had a kind of exotic beauty that made you do a double take. She was one of the few women he knew who was actually tan in the winter; something about the thought made him laugh out loud.

Hearing his seemingly random chuckling, Olivia stole a glance at him through the corner of her eye.

"Something you want to share with the rest of the class, Stabler?" She retorted; her chocolate orbs burning into his sea tide blues.

They sat like that for a couple seconds. It felt like hours for the both of them.

Elliot cleared his throat, sobering up.

"Well…" His voice was gruff and husky. It sounded as if he had just woken up. But in a way, he had.

"It's good to have you back, Liv."

"It's nice to be back." Olivia said, sifting through various files.

Something was still bothering him though.

Maybe it was the way her hair was pulled up out of his sight.

Maybe it was how she still hadn't said his name.

Maybe it was the fact that she was acting as if everything was fine.

As much as Elliot wanted to believe that everything was indeed fine, he couldn't. Every time Olivia left, she usually didn't come back for what seemed like an eternity. And truth be told, he couldn't live without her; he wouldn't live without her.

Although he was married, Elliot forced himself not to compare the two women. But sometimes, his conscience failed him. Kathy was simple and forced him to be the man he should be, the man he wanted to be. Olivia was amazing in every way and with her Elliot could be the man that he truly was.

Somehow, he always found himself avoiding his wife. It wasn't that Elliot didn't love her, because he did. He just wasn't _in love_ with her. He suddenly couldn't remember when he had come to this realization. He wondered if his wife knew.


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS THAT ARE PORTRAYED IN THIS STORY...DICK WOLF DOES. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

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_Love Happens_

**Chapter 3**

Olivia could sense Elliot's eyes burning into her visage. Ever since she returned from her seemingly random thinking-spree, he had been watching her like a hawk. She had hoped that by some unlikely fluke, he would just come to terms with the fact that although uncommon, she did take days off from work now and then. Unfortunately for her, this was not the case. Sometimes, Olivia wondered why he cared so much.

She wondered while she was staring at her ceiling late at night.

She wondered while she begrudgingly got out of bed to answer her door.

She wondered while she negligently unlocked the entrance.

"Elliot…"

It was the first time she had said his name all week.

"Hi. Can I come in?" He questioned as he walked through the doorway.

"Sure, seeing as how you're already inside." She said along with a chuckle.

"Sorry, it's just… I wanted… needed to tell you something."

He seemed anxious and excited at the same time.

"Well what is it?"

Elliot paced back and forth through her small living room as Olivia waited patiently for him to say whatever he 'needed' to say. After a couple dozen seconds, he sat down. However, this progress was short-lived when he decided to stand up again. It seemed as if Elliot was silently contemplating if he should say something or not due to the fact that his mouth opened and then shut a few times.

She had no idea whether this news was going to be good or bad. While Olivia waited for his response, she attempted to come up with some sort of plausible reason for his sudden arrival. She thought that maybe he came to notify her of some sort of confession. Whatever it was, it had to be completely unrelated to work; something about his facial expressions gave it away.

This was something that Olivia and Elliot were good at. They could easily spend hours on end in the same confined space stuck in their own worlds, outwardly oblivious to each other's presence.

Reality brought them both back.

"Stabler." Elliot mumbled instinctively into the device.

He gazed at Olivia as he spoke.

"Yeah, Kath. Dickie's dropping them off now."

"You too. I'll come by around nine."

He slammed the phone shut and shoved it back into his denim pocket.

"Elliot." She repeated for the second time that night.

Olivia inaudibly wondered why there was no "I love you" or "Honey" fastened somewhere onto that conversation. She was going to ask, but then decided against a personal interrogation; that definitely wasn't what he needed.

"I came here to tell you that… Kathy and I… we're done. It's over Liv."

"Oh. That's… I'm so sorry Elliot."

"I'm not."

Olivia shot him a truly puzzled look.

"I tried to fight it for so long. I tried to avoid the inevitable. Now I can't even remember why… I mean… the love had been gone for God knows how long. I guess it just took me a while to realize it."

Elliot had returned to pacing back and forth at that point.

"Well, Uh… I had no idea you felt that way. I just assumed you were in it for the long run."

He didn't quite know how to respond to this.

"Did you sign the papers?"

"Yeah. A couple months ago, actually. They weren't filed until a couple days ago though."

Although she tried to hide it, the sadness was entirely evident throughout her features.

"Liv… I wanted to tell you… so bad. I just couldn't find the right time, you know?"

"Sure. Yeah, that makes sense." She had originally intended to sound sincere, although it came out in a more sarcastic manner.

"I'm serious, Liv."

Then, Elliot did something that she never expected. Olivia dreamed about it every night for as long as she could remember. She had an endless amount of fantasies regarding this very action. It was the kind of thing that if you vividly imagined it happening enough times, you might just think that the event did, indeed occur.

He kissed her.


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS THAT ARE PORTRAYED IN THIS STORY...DICK WOLF DOES. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

* * *

_Love Happens_

**Chapter 4**

He couldn't believe it. Elliot was finally kissing her. As ridiculous as he thought it was, he felt the need to pinch himself solely to make sure it was real. Elliot opted against it just in case it was in fact a dream. He wouldn't dare ruin it.

They both needed air. Regardless, the pair continued to kiss as if it was their last day on Earth. This kiss was something different. It was entangled with a countless number of emotions. Initially, it was gentle like two adolescents experimenting. Then, it was fiery and passionate and hungry and fearless. The one kiss broke down all the walls Olivia and Elliot had been putting up for years. It was amazing how something so wrong could feel so right.

"Olivia." He breathed into her hair.

"I love you."

They were both on the verge of speaking those exact words. But like many other things, Elliot had beaten her to the punch.

"That's why I came. I needed to tell you and I needed you to hear me."

"I definitely heard you."

They both laughed. But unlike many other things, it was genuine.

"I love you, too."

Her forehead was now grazing his own. The contact was almost unbearable. Elliot felt sparks just looking at her.

"Wow."

That seemed to be the only word he could form at that particular moment.

"Wow." She repeated.

They stayed like that for a numerous amount of minutes. Elliot and Olivia had always seemed to have their own language only translatable between the two of them. It was merely composed of various facial expressions and subtle eye movement. Although helpful in the workplace, it was a recipe for snafu within their personal lives.

"Elliot?"

"Yeah?"

"Since day one." Amazingly, he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"I didn't ask, Liv."

"You didn't have to. I could see it in your eyes." This was completely true.

"You always could read me like a book." He had an established gleam in his eyes.

They both smiled. It was moments like this that made _The Notebook_ look like _American Pie._ It was almost funny how two best friends could easily slip into the role of lovers.

"So… does this mean that we're-"

"Together?" He finished for her. "Only if you want to be. I know it's what I want but-"

Olivia found it tremendously adorable how he could ramble about anything when he was nervous without even realizing he was doing it. She briefly considered letting him continue to utter his endless amount of jargon, but then decided against it.

"Elliot," she started, now her turn to interrupt, "If I didn't want this, I wouldn't have unlocked the door."

The two of them shared another laugh. He was once again dumbstruck by her smile. All of Olivia's teeth were perfect, so straight and white.

Elliot looked deep into her eyes as if seeking approval before removing a hand from Olivia's to run it through her silky, auburn locks. Her hair felt incredibly soft and smelled like vanilla and lilacs. Elliot had forever had a fascination with her hair. At work, whenever Olivia would lean into him to look at something on his computer screen, he would smell her hair to see what that month's scent was. He knew that she loved change since the beginning of it all and Elliot admired her for this.

She placed her now free hand on his cheek, Olivia's fingers tracing the lines she found.

"This feels incredibly… right."

"It does, doesn't it?"

They both shared yet another laugh together. One of many to come, he thought.


End file.
